Antonio Brown has essentially ruined his NFL career with his extensive off-field issues, but one former player believes the antics off the field are a direct result of what happened on it.
Former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who works as an analyst for NBC, said Tuesday they he believes Brown is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Harrison pointed to the vicious head shot Brown took from Vontaze Burfict in 2016, which appeared to knock Brown unconscious.
“I think he’s suffering from CTE,” Harrison said, as transcribed by WEEI’s Alex Reimer. “I think he’s definitely got some symptoms. He’s snappy, mood swings. I mean, you look at this hit from Vontaze Burfict. You look at this hit and he was completely out. I played 15 years in the league, I was never completely out like that. He’s completely out. That is a concussion. That is something that is going to stick with you for the rest of your life.”
Harrison said Brown’s outburst in New York on Sunday was a result of his “mental illness.” He said he wants to help the 33-year-old.
“If you play football for an extended period of time, you got hit in the head, you suffer from CTE,” Harrison added. “That was clearly something that just made him snap and I promise you at this point in time he’s sitting at home and he’s not happy. He’s not happy about walking off the field, quitting.”
It would be an understatement to say Brown’s behavior has been erratic for the past several years. ESPN’s Field Yates provided a summary recently:
It's been an eventful last 3 years for Antonio Brown.
A look at the several notable incidents, via @ESPNStatsInfo. pic.twitter.com/GeW0dwQIli
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 2, 2022
CTE can only be diagnosed via an autopsy after death. There have been signs of it in the brains of many former NFL players after they died.
Brown has accused the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of cutting him during Sunday’s game because he could not play through an ankle injury. He also took aim at Tom Brady’s longtime personal trainer by sharing a screenshot of a text message exchange.
It seems like Brown is setting the stage to file an injury grievance against the Bucs. His NFL career may be over, though one former GM thinks he will get another shot.
Photo: Oct 14, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
